Word Origin & History

motion late 14c., from O.Fr. motion (13c.), from L. motionem (nom. motio) "a moving, an emotion," from motus, pp. of movere "to move" (see move). The verb sense in parliamentary procedure first recorded 1747; with meaning "to guide or direct by a sign, gesture, movement" it is attested from 1787. Related: Motioned; motioning.

Example Sentences for motion

Renwick, crouched beneath the foliage, was incapable of motion.

The procedure was that of a grand jury set in motion by common report.

Xoli gave the signal, and the soul of the Chalcan girl broke forth in motion.

Its march proceeds from picture to picture, to which, motion gives life.

The wolf seconded the motion, and the hyena said that suits.

And this is preeminently the case when the motion is downwards.

Meanwhile the banks were putting in motion their peculiar and enormous persuasions.

Thus, it is the heat which has set the atoms which compose the molecules in motion.

But the motion of the sea washes up pieces of the gum, which is of light weight.

The amount of work that water in motion can do has also been measured.